Fallout
by Arysta
Summary: Sarah is back and her father is Not Happy! Jareth is being sued, but the trial reveals his heart more than his motives!


Sarah Williams found herself lying on the rug in front of the stairs

Author's Note:

This is not a crossover, although I've seen hints of an Ally McBeal/Labyfic crossover challenge.This is pure Labyfic.I'm sorry if anyone gets offended by the 'legality' of the story – the legal details, but as this is clearly an AU, I felt fully comfortable to pick and choose how I used the court, lawyers and law in this story.If you have a problem with that – this is my story, so…. Pfff!!!!!!!!! (teasing, of course)I don't own Sarah, her family, Jareth, the Labyrinth, or anything like that.The lawyer is my character, the "world" is mine.I hope everyone enjoys, and please review if you read it.

Fallout

Sarah Williams found herself lying on the rug in front of the stairs.She blinked, dazed, and sat up shakily.All she could remember was the room, a man, running…

"Toby?!"Jumping to her feet, the girl sprinted up the stairs, long dark hair flying out behind her."Toby!"She turned, nearly flying into her father's bedroom.Dark and silent, the crib stood as it always had.She paused, hand on the doorframe.Did she really want to look?

Her ears strained into the sudden silence.A soft whistling sound.Her heart began to beat again.

"Oh, Toby," she glided to the side of the crib, looking down into it, seeing the child sleeping peacefully.He was home.Safe.

The memories rocked.A dark man with a pale, chalk white face and a cruel laugh.The Goblin King.

Sarah gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.Her eyes widening.How in the nine hells had she ever gotten through his deathtrap of a Labyrinth!?Why had she called him?She backed out of her father's room and smashed her fist into the wall.Stupid, stupid, stupid.Everyone knew of the Goblin King.So stupid!

Tears running down her face, belated relief making her heart pound, Sarah flung herself into her room and on her bed, where she stared at the ceiling and thought of what a close call she had had. 

***

"Sarah, honey, we're home!"Her father's voice echoed up the stairs, prompting her to shift.She sat up, hearing the rumbling voice down below.Her stepmother's higher laughter echoed slightly in the night.

"Sarah?"Her father repeated in a questioning tone.

"Coming, dad!"She gasped out, getting to her feet.She wiped the tears from her eyes.

Bounding down the stairs, she debated with herself.Should she tell them?Did they deserve to know?Was there a point in telling them?

None of those questions mattered.

As soon as she saw her father, she burst into tears, throwing herself into his arms.The whole story came burbling out, between the loud gasps and sobs that his shirt absorbed.He held her soothingly, rubbing her back until she was calm.

"I'll kill him," Karen announced.She sat on a small stool at the counter.A maniacal gleam was in her eye – Sarah shivered at the sight of it.

"Darling," Robert began, coming over to rest his hands on his wife's shoulders. 

She shrugged away from his touch."That monster threatened my little girl!"She turned to look at him."He's not going to get away with it!" 

Sarah collapsed into a seat at the table."There's nothing to do.It's over.I got Toby back, and we're both free now.I … just…" She sobbed again, wiping frantically at her eyes.

"That man never lets go of his prizes."Karen muttered, calming down slowly. 

Robert appeared thoughtful.He turned, pacing in the middle of the floor."We'll sue him," he announced suddenly.

Sarah was stunned."What?How can you sue him?"

Karen sat back in her chair."Perfect."She turned to Robert."Can we afford it?" 

"For my daughter, I can afford it."He said grimly, touching Sarah's hair lightly."I'll call the Court of Magical Crimes first thing in the morning." 

***

The lawyer they consulted had a bald head and small, thin-rimmed glasses.He asked Sarah questions for nearly an hour, until her persistent twisting of the fabric had nearly destroyed the hem of her favorite blouse.

"Well, we may actually have a case."He sounded surprised.Robert exhaled loudly, sharing a meaningful glance with Karen.The lawyer looked up at Sarah, his glasses sliding down his long nose."Are you willing to go through with this, though, young lady?"

Sarah bit her lip.She thought of the oubliette, the Bog of Stench, the Cleaners."I… I don't know."

The lawyer looked at her parents, sitting back into his seat."Unless she can get up on the stand and tell a jury what she's been through, we don't have a leg to stand on."

Robert nodded.Sarah watched as her father knelt in front of her, his eyes soft and caring."Sarah, honey, I know it's hard, but… This guy really needs to be punished.You can do it, too!No one has ever been able to pin anything on him before, but you can!You can get back at him for everything he did to you – maybe even have his magic restricted!Don't you want that?" 

She looked into his eyes and say hope, encouragement.One glance at Karen's face confirmed that she echoed her husband's sentiments."I.. I guess so."

Robert looked at the lawyer, triumphant.The lawyer didn't look so convinced, but he gathered his papers together and nodded at them."I'll send it up to the judge tomorrow.You'll get a notice in the mail."

With that the Williams' were clearly dismissed.They filed out of the office, silently nodded to the well-dressed receptionist in the front room.The door to the partnership's offices closed behind them quietly, and they went home to wait. 

Two days later they received a letter – sent by courier, no less – informing them that they had a court date set for the following month.

Robert was jubilant, Karen triumphant.Toby didn't notice one way or another.Sarah began to wonder if she knew what she was doing.

***

There were cameras crowding the stairs in front of the courtroom – the trial was being covered by both the local and national news agencies.

The lawyer, whose name was Blackstone, led Sarah and her family through the gauntlet."Be brave," he had counseled.Sarah tried to be, lifting her head and trying not to mind the pictures that were being snapped of her.Karen and Robert held hands as they walked behind her.  
Sarah was called to the stand almost immediately.She was sworn in, and, looking fragile, they began the examination.

"In your own words," the lawyer began, "tell us your story."

Tears gathering in her eyes, voice shaky, Sarah began the tale.She told of how she had been so upset at baby sitting that she had considered saying the words. Yes, yes, she said, she had known that those words were dangerous, but didn't everyone know that His Majesty was fickle?Many had said the words, and nothing had happened.Was she to know that he would choose to honor her request?

The lawyer urged her on.

She told about her refusal of the King's gift of dreams, and her decision to traverse the Labyrinth.She shakily of her frustration as she found first no door, then a straight tunnel leading on forever.She glossed over the helpful worm, knowing that it was unnecessary to the trial.Her hands began to shake as she talked of the oubliette, the Cleaners, the Bog of Stench and the attack in the Goblin City.She could have lost her life!She spoke of the room of stairs that she had run circles in, never quite able to reach her baby brother – even when the child was right in front of her!

"Surely you see," she begged the audience, the cameras trained on her, the judge, and most of all the stone-faced jurors, "that he was cheating!He was being completely unfair!"

"Calm down," Blackstone advised, striding to be near the stand.His eyes were calm, his bald head shining with perspiration."Now, tell us how you escaped the King's clutches."

Sarah's eyes got a far-away look to them."I remembered the words, you see," she said softly."I read them in a book, and I remembered them just in time…. And the world fell down around me, and then I was home.Toby was safe.Everything was fine… but…" She broke into full-force tears.Her lawyer, ducking back to the table, retrieved a handy box of tissues for her.

"I'm done," her lawyer said, his gaze slowly passing over the jury before settling on the judge.The attorney for the defense stood slowly."My client has not arrived yet.He was, I assure the jury," he nodded at the judge here, as well, "informed of this meeting.I have arranged for him to join us later."

He walked toward Sarah.He was young, with professionally styled hair and a high-cost suit.His brown eyes were soft when they rested on her face."Miss Williams," he began, "did you not wish your brother away?"He sounded pained to have to take the line of questioning that he was taking, but Sarah understood.His job was, after all, to defend the Goblin King.

"I did," she agreed, "and I knew, somewhere, that he may very well take my brother.I admit it was wrong, but does that excuse his treatment of me?He chased me through tunnels with the Cleaners.He dumped me this far," she held her fingers three inches apart, "from the Bog of Stench!"Sarah was getting worked up – her eyes were flashing, the tears long dried."Do you have any concept of how badly that thing smells?It's hideous!

"The man had a… a friend… give me a poisoned peach.I was sucked into a dream world filled with monsters!They were dancing all around me and I had this dress on…" she trailed off, shuddering with fear at how close she had come to losing Toby completely."He's a monster," she said, her tone falling."He cheats, he lies… he do whatever he can to get what he wants."Without her conscious volition Sarah's arms crept up to cross over her chest.

The lawyer looked sad, opened his mouth as if he wanted to go on, then shook his head."No more questions, Your Honor." 

Sarah's father took the stand, testifying about how Sarah had come home, how upset she was.His testimony was important because he was basically the only witness that they had.He was, of course, cross examined, but there seemed little point to the exercise.

The lawyer for the defense came forward again."I'll now call my client," his eye was twitching, and Sarah was willing to bet that he wasn't happy that he had to go to the steps that he was apparently having to go to.It became clear when the doors to the courtroom opened and an almost skeletal-looking man swept into the room.He wore a long white robe and carried a huge bag.He reached the front of the courtroom and knelt on the smooth marble floor.

He dug in his bag, taking out a large piece of chalk, proceeding to draw esoteric patterns on the blackness.Once he had a huge, three-tiered circle complete he began setting candles around the perimeter he had drawn.He started to chant, first quietly, but his voice quickly rose in volume.  
Sarah was torn between extreme fear, maniacal laughter and total disdain.

The man stepped into the center of the circle, looking at the defending lawyer, who nodded.It seemed that he was ready to begin.

As he lit the candles, he chanted.Sarah began to understand some of the words he was saying, somehow.Jareth, she heard clearly, and the repetition of it caused shockwaves to spiral through her.They really were calling up the Goblin King! 

The lights in the room flashed and went out – the only illumination left the thin sunlight from the high, small windows.Everyone was on the edge of their seats.

"What the devil?" The irate voice echoed in the silent room long before the King came into view.Sarah stared as he phased in, settling right next to the white-robed priest."Who are you?"He demanded, shoving his hair out of his face.He wore a simple pair of breeches and boots.That was it. "Where am…" He glared around the courtroom and his eyes narrowed.He turned to the priest, his teeth bared."You wouldn't happen to be responsible for this, would you?"He asked, tone sugary sweet.He gestured around the room, and as he did so a shirt formed on his body.His hair was whipped into place and he became the elegant, cold and domineering Goblin King.

The priest was shaking, being mere inches from the master of magic that ruled the great Labyrinth.Sarah thought, for a moment, that he was going to fall down at the King's feet and kiss them.She snorted at the mental picture.

Jareth's head turned, his eyes meeting hers.She sank back into her seat, seeing the anger brewing in the depths of his gaze. 

"Ah," he said, stepping forward, right past the priest."Sarah.I should have known you were involved in this."With a gesture the barrier the priest had cast was gone and he was free. He came right up to the table she was sitting at, glaring down at her."Being a sore loser, are we?"He asked, one peaked brow arching delicately.

Sarah jumped to her feet, hair flying in all directions."Hey," she said, almost in his face."I won!" 

Jareth leaned back on his heels. "Did you now?"His voice was amused.Sarah gritted her teeth, knowing that she had nothing she could throw at him.He taunted her by conjuring a small crystal and rolling it around his hand, that eyebrow still mocking her.

The lawyer for the defense stepped forward."Uh… Your Majesty," he began, half-bowing and clearly uncertain as to how to address Jareth.

Jareth rolled his eyes, turning from Sarah.She let out a relieved sigh."What is it?"The King asked in a long-suffering voice.

"We've called you here to have you give your side of the events, sir," he stuttered. 

"Events?"Jareth straightened abruptly."What are you talking about?"  
"The events of the day in question – specifically the day that Sarah Williams traversed your Labyrinth."The lawyer stammered, babbling in legal-speak.

"What is going on here?"The Goblin King was, everyone could see, rapidly losing patience. 

"Did this witness receive no subpoena?"The judge interrupted, frowning at the counsels.

The defense stuttered, "he… ah… yes, but…"

The Goblin King frowned, turning to face the judge."Are you referring to the idiotic piece of paper that was found floating in the Bog of Stench?I merely flipped through it… something about a court date?"

The judge nodded."Indeed, your majesty!You are being sued!" 

Jareth's eyebrows slammed down, his eyes narrowing."What?"He glared at the defense, then at Sarah."Is this your idea of a joke?"He demanded of her.

Sarah sagged back into her seat."I… I…"

Her father stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders."Sarah had nothing to do with this," he announced. 

"And who are you?"Jareth asked acidly.

Robert flinched under the pale king's intent gaze."I… I'm her father," he said.

Jareth nodded gravely."I'm sorry for you, sir." 

"Hey," Sarah jumped to her feet again."What's that supposed to mean?" 

Jareth just looked at her.

The counsel for the defense cleared his throat."Umm.. If you would please take your seat in the witness box," he asked.

Sighing, the Goblin King complied; folding himself into the box and propping soft-booted feet up on rail in front of him.

"I think we can dispense with the oath-swearing," the judge suggested.Both counsels agreed.

Jareth nodded, a huge feral grin stretching his face. 

The counsel for the prosecution stepped forward to question the witness."Did you, Mr… King… in fact, steal Toby Williams from his crib on the night of June 3rd, and take him to your Labyrinth?"

"I did not!I do not steal!" Jareth snarled.

The counsel took two steps back, looking almost weak."Ah… Was Toby Williams taken to the Labyrinth on that night," he repeated.

"He was," Jareth agreed, somewhat sulkily. 

The prosecutor looked pleased."Ah.So you admit to stealing young Toby Williams?" 

Jareth's eyes grew piercingly cold.The prosecutor stammered."Ah… anyway… we're here to discuss your treatment of Miss Williams," he continued quickly."The allegations are excessive cruelty, character defamation, endangerment of life, and exposure to a toxic Bog."  
Shocked, Sarah stared at her balding lawyer.Had all of that happened?She looked at Jareth, who was sitting eerily still.His cold eyes shifted to meet hers.He was not happy.

"Is this how you repay me?"He asked, voice low, but heard throughout the courtroom."I turn my world upside down for you, and you badger me with petty human law?"He shook his head."I'm disappointed, Sarah."

She found herself hurting for him."I didn't mean this," she said.The rest of the courtroom seemed to fall away, leaving her with him, alone."I didn't want this!"

"Why didn't you just take your dreams, love?"He looked infinitely sad.

"I needed my brother back," she whispered, eyes dropping to stare at her hands.

BANG BANG BANG!

The judge's gavel smacked on his bench, drawing Sarah's attention and breaking the spell Jareth had woven around her."What?"Her eyes were focused on his.He looked… annoyed?

"If we could get back to the trial, please?"The judge interrupted.

Sarah nodded numbly.

"We're here to decide on your guilt, Goblin King," the prosecutor said, clearly starting to feel more comfortable interviewing His Majesty.

"My guilt!How can your laws decide anything I do?I am above your laws!"The lawyer looked poleaxed."The only thing you can judge me on is my behavior in your realm, and that, I assure you, was above HUMAN reproach."  
Sarah groaned, slapping her hands over her face. 

"That's not true," the prosecutor countered."Kidnapping is still a serious crime!"  
"I did not kidnap Toby Williams," Jareth bit out."I fulfilled a wish.I did my job."

"Oh, come now," the lawyer laughed."Are we to believe that Miss Williams wished her brother to you?"

"Of course she did," Jareth said, sounding fully reasonable."How else could I have gotten young Toby?"

The judge looked right at Sarah.She blushed, dropping her head.

"And the kidnapping of Sarah," the prosecutor continued. "That's a crime!"

"Sarah told **me** she was going to go after her brother," Jareth informed them."I just chose not to refuse her that choice." 

The prosecutor looked like he was going to blow a fuse.Sarah snarled silently. The quietness of the room stretched."I can't believe this," she muttered to herself."He's going to get away with kidnapping, torture, and more!" 

"I can get away with whatever I want," The King said slowly, staring at her.

_That look should be illegal_, she told herself. 

The prosecutor sat down, and the counsel for the defense stood, pulling the trim gray of his suit jacket down tidily. 

"Now… Mr. King," he began."I'm arguing here that kidnapped Sarah Williams under duress."

"Duress?"Jareth asked, voicing Sarah's own question.

The defender's eyebrows knit."You didn't mean to carry her off to your realm, did you?" 

Jareth remained silent.

The judge turned."Mr. King, did you go to the William's house intending to kidnap Sarah Willaims?" 

More silence."Not kidnap," Jareth said slowly."Sarah is not a child." 

"You meant to seduce me into coming with you!" Sarah burst out, staring at him.

Jareth's eyes flew to hers, and she was amazed to see an ever-so-slight flush on his high cheekbones.

"You did," she said incredulously.She turned to her lawyer, hair flying around her face in her haste. "Isn't illegal, somehow?" 

The man frowned."You're a minor, but… as he said, in his world, his rules apply.You agreed to go with him." 

Sarah gritted her teeth._I can't believe this!_

"I told you," Jareth said, having regained his lazy arrogance."Your human law can't touch me.I am above reproach." 

"Your Majesty," the defender said, "I am not done." 

Jareth narrowed his eyes at the man."Finish your speech, little man," he said."I have a realm awaiting my return, and like not to while my day in your presence."

Sarah's eyes widened at his tone.

"One more question, You Majesty," the man said, striding closer to the stand."I am more than aware of your job," he said."You grant dreams, Your Majesty.You are not a kidnapper or a child killer.However, I also know that you are very choosy about those dreams that you do grant.Could you tell me… tell the court… why you chose to grant Sarah Williams' request to take away her brother?" 

The man looked furious."I don't see where that question has any bearing on the matter at all," he said, pulling his feet off the rail and sitting up.He squared his shoulders, managing to look regal in the dull, mundane surroundings.

"Answer the question," the judge thundered out.

Jareth glared at him banefully."I loved her," he bit out."Is that what you wanted to hear?"He turned to the defending lawyer, his lawyer."Have you gotten what you were digging for now?" 

Whispers ran rampant over the room.Sarah had sunk back into her seat, slid down as far as she could, and was trying hard to disappear.She had managed to get halfway under the table, at least. 

The defending lawyer smiled, "You said you loved her," he said."You loved her, or you love her?" 

Jareth's eyes began to burn.Sarah flinched, seeing the expression.She wondered how the lawyer was managing to stand up to his fury. "I love her."He said finally, eyes burning-magma hot.

"Ah.No further questions," the defender said, seating himself.

Jareth glared around the room, daring anyone to comment.   
Everyone in the room looked around.The trial had become a joke. The prosecutor stood up."I move for a dismissal, Your Honor." 

The judge nodded slowly, and Sarah almost cried aloud in relief."Do you concur?"He asked the defending lawyer, who also nodded. "This trial is over!"The judge said with a loud thump of his mallet. 

Jareth grumbled."Can I leave now?"He asked.

Sarah and her family were standing, somewhat dazed.It had been over so quickly, so easily.Sarah caught her father watching her, an odd light in his eyes.Sarah wouldn't meet her gaze.

"Not quite," the defending lawyer said, gathering his papers and shoving them into his briefcase. He strolled around the table, a smile on his face."Come here, Sarah," he said, not looking at her.

Sarah looked at her father and step-mother, both of whom looked confused.Biting her lip, she ducked by them and went to stand by the lawyer's side.

"I am not just your lawyer, Jareth, King of the Goblins," the man said."I am also your judge."He pulled out his wallet, showing the disdainful King a card inside of it.

"Judge of Magical Misuse?"Jareth asked, eyes widening. 

The man nodded."Correct."

Jareth sat rigidly upright in the witness box.

The lawyer ran a hand along the slender rail."Don't worry," he said, "The trial is over."

Jareth's eye ticked once. "And?"

The lawyer turned to Sarah."I think it depends on the girl," he said.He looked her in the eyes, and she saw something deep inside of him.Wisdom, knowledge, comfort, all of the above.

"What do you mean?"She asked, trying to sneak a look at the Goblin King.She found she couldn't.Her attention was caught, totally trapped in the lawyer's bright eyes.

"Did you find yourself abused by Jareth?Did he kidnap you, try to kill you, cause you bodily or mental harm?" 

Sarah found herself momentarily distracted by the pastel-colored particles swirling in front of her face, then she found herself answering the man's question."He is infuriating," she said fumingly."Totally maddening!"

The lawyer smiled."That's all?"

Sarah blushed."He… I had to get my brother back," she said."I had to.They wouldn't have understood – it would have hurt them so bad to lose him," she said.

"Ah."The lawyer nodded."He offered you your dreams, did he not?" 

Sarah nodded.

"Would you have taken them, had Toby been safe and sound in his crib?"

The blush intensified, and Sarah nodded again.

"What?"Jareth's whisper barely pierced her consciousness.

The lawyer nodded and touched her forehead gently."Thank you for your help, Sarah Williams," he said, turning to leave.

"Is he… is he going to jail?"Sarah asked, voice trembling.

The man turned around, eyes serious."Misuse of magic carries serious consequences, my dear.Much more serious than jail, or counseling."

Jareth spoke up."Am I to be stripped of my power?"  
Sarah's eyes flew to meet his.

"No."The lawyer smiled gently."You may return, although I suggest you refine your interpersonal skills a bit if you wish to keep young Sarah here around." He looked at Sarah."Your visa is good for two years.After that, if you do wed our impetuous King,you can apply for Permanent Residency in the world of the Labyrinth." 

"Visa?"Sarah asked. 

"I am also the Inter-Dimensional Immigration Officer for this district," he said.Then was gone, fading away into nothingness long before he reached the doors of the courtroom. 

Sarah's parents came to her, her father enfolding her in his arms.He didn't say a word.

She watched Jareth."I… I have a Visa," she said, somewhat incredulously."A visa to live in the Labyrinth."

He watched her impassively."You would be my subject." 

She didn't smile."My brother would be safe, and I could always come home."The words beat at her brain."And you love me," she added.

He nodded slowly.

Karen and her father watched, giving her no aid in her decision. 

"Do I have time to pack?"She asked. 

Jareth smiled, a real smile – it was the first time she had seen it from him."Take all the time you need."

Sarah laughed."Not that long!I wouldn't want my Visa to run out."

Jareth reached forward – almost, but not quite, touching her."For some reason, I don't think the local authorities are going to be that rabid about kicking you out if you overstay your official time." 

Sarah's fingers met his, gently, and a new era in the Labyrinth was begun.

THE END


End file.
